Hyundai A-League preview: Jets v Victory

Hyundai A-League action extends to Monday night and what an intriguing clash in store as Victory look to stay in the Premiership race against a Jets outfit with aspirations of squeezing back into the top six.

With heatwave conditions in NSW this weekend, this match has been switched to Monday night in line with the FFA Heat Policy.

Cooler weather will no doubt improve the quality of football though McDonald Jones Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Victory, with just three wins in the Hunter in 16 previous visits.

But Kevin Muscat’s troops head to the Hunter after steering their season back on track with their win in the derby last week.

So instead of looking over their shoulder to keep their spot in the top-two, the Big V has their sights on chasing down Sydney FC again.

So they head to Newcastle in a good space.

It’s a little bit different for the Jets, who dropped out of the top six after losing 3-2 in Perth last Saturday night.

Defensive errors hurt them badly against Glory so you can be sure coach Mark Jones has been working his troops hard this week to eradicate those lapses.

This clash marks the start of a season-defining period for the seventh-placed Jets.

After Victory they have clashes against Adelaide, the Mariners and Brisbane Roar to follow over the next few weeks. We’ll know a lot more about their chances of ending their seven-year finals drought after that.